Gait is defined as the manner or style of walking. Gait Analysis refers to the evaluation of certain gait characteristics. The normal forward step consists of two phases: the stance phase in which one leg and foot are bearing most or all of the body weight, and the swing phase in which the foot is not touching the walking surface and the body weight is supported by the other leg and foot. In a complete two-step cycle, that portion of time that both feet are in contact with the floor; about 25% of the time, is called the double-support phase.
Many individuals suffer from various conditions that do not allow the advancement of a limb because of weakness or lack of motor control which causes disturbances to the normal gait pattern. One such condition causing disruptions to the normal gait pattern is hemiparesis, which is characterized by weakness on one side of the body. As many as 88% of subjects with acute stroke have hemiparesis. Physical therapists work with stroke subjects to improve awareness and use of the affected side. Current practice is to initiate physical therapy (PT) as soon as practicable after the stroke because the adaptive ability of the brain to compensate with regard to the locomotor system diminishes over time. PT involves exercises to increase range of motion and strength, and retrain motor skills such as bed mobility, transferring, walking and other gross motor functions. Retraining often utilizes assistive devices such as walkers, canes and occasionally, orthotics. Although gait training seeks to regain as much of the subject's premorbid leg mobility as possible, current assistive devices can discourage or actively prevent the use of certain motor groups of the lower extremities (LE) which would otherwise be useful in normalizing gait patterns. Because current gait training devices isolate certain muscular groups, one of the major drawbacks is that maladaptive gait habits may be inadvertently reinforced by such devices.
It would be desirable to provide a gait training system and method for gait challenged subjects regardless of etiology, that safely encourages the use of all relevant muscular groups under the supervision of a physical therapist so as to avoid compromising the subject's ability to normalize their gate.
It would be desirable for such a system and method to naturally integrate with the subject's own movements of lifting a foot, moving the leg forward or backward, and setting the foot down again to arrest forward motion.
It would be additionally desirable for such as system and method to be used independently of clinical supervision once the subject is physically capable of the transition.